Are the Home A1C tests reliable?

(Sherrie Knutson Messerschmidt) #1

I recently saw a Home A1C Test kit at Walgreens and was surprised because I’ve never heard of this on any podcasts or blogs. Can someone confirm the accuracy of these tests? And do they use the same method that a doctors lab would use?
Thanks for any insight.

Home A1C Test kit
(Robert R Messerschmidt) #2

Good question, would like to know the answer my self as well. Thanks for askin

#3

I have an Easy Life 3 in 1 meter (GCHb) It is a multifunction test meter which monitors your Haemoglobin / Cholesterol and Blood Glucose levels in the comfort of your home.
Although the test strips are expensive I only test once a month for Haemoglobin and Cholesterol…

If you want an alternative use your BG meter weekly / Monthly average BG reading, this is almost the same as the Haemoglobin reading which is of course a measure of the level of glucose in your blood cells over a two/three month period.
I bought mine in the UK from Ebay £ 39.99 free postage.
Package contents: •GCHb Test meter •10 Glucose Test Strips •2 Cholesterol Test Strips
•5 Hemoglobin Test Strips •25 Lancets •Lancet Puncturer •Check Strip •Batteries ( 2 AAA Batts.)
•Carry Case.
KC&KO!

BGM
BGM.jpg1414×1225 94 KB

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #4

We got one of these at Costco., PTS Dagnostics, A1C+ is the label. I had just had an A1c done at drs. office about 2 weeks before. My first test with the home kit had me -.1 different than what my drs. lab reported. So pretty accurate or so it would seem.

However, my husband is T2D, and his numbers home testing seem to run below what his drs. office testing says, they can disagree by up to .5 for example: home test 5.5 dr’s. test 6, so not so accurate for him. As he is not on meds, trying to keep numbers lower by diet and exercise, he tests BG often with a blood monitor. The averages don’t seem to be correct for him. His drs. office has him higher than what his daily numbers should be averaging to, he tests at least twice a day and sometimes up to 6 times a day. His average is different than the one his drs.’ lab is reporting.

His dr. is not mine, we have different insurance plans, so his is done in-house, at Kaiser. Mine is done by LabCorp, used by my dr. for labs. This could be his insulin resistance is much worse than mine. IDK, but that was our experience, I’ve tested again and drs. and home test agreed.

(Sherrie Knutson Messerschmidt) #5

That’s interesting. I’m going to check on this test and see if it’s available in the USA. Had no idea that there was a home test for cholesterol. Thanks.

(Sherrie Knutson Messerschmidt) #6

Going to pick one up just before I get my A1C Test done in January.
Could the difference in your husbands lab tests and yours simply be the difference in the Labs? Maybe the process that they use? Idk…

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #7

We are not sure, since mine was so accurate and his not. Yeah, it could be the differences in labs, but A1C tests should be standardized.

Good idea, get a home test and as soon as possible, get one done at Dr. office.

(David K) #8

Back to back A1c tests, like BG, can produce different results. The range is usually half of a point in either direction.